Dramatic Drop in Fortune 500 Companies' DEI Participation
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1h ago
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Participation Rate Plummets: Research from the Human Rights Campaign reveals a staggering 65% drop in Fortune 500 companies publicly disclosing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, falling from 377 in 2025 to just 131 in 2026, highlighting the pressures and challenges businesses face in the current political climate.
- Widespread Impact: Among the 534 companies that participated, 100 achieved a perfect score, representing nearly 6 million U.S. employees, indicating that despite the overall decline, some firms continue to excel in DEI, reflecting varying market perceptions of social responsibility.
- Political Shift: The rise of the anti-DEI movement, particularly with backing from the White House, has prompted many companies to reassess their DEI policies, with major firms like Walmart and Ford, which previously supported DEI, now withdrawing from related assessments, signaling a significant strategic shift.
- Uncertain Future: As more companies exit the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, the future implementation and evaluation of DEI initiatives face greater uncertainty, potentially impacting corporate social image and employee work environments.
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Analyst Views on WMT
Wall Street analysts forecast WMT stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for WMT is 125.75 USD with a low forecast of 119.00 USD and a high forecast of 136.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
26 Analyst Rating
25 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 127.710
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
Current: 127.710
Low
119.00
Averages
125.75
High
136.00
About WMT
Walmart Inc. is a technology-powered omnichannel retailer. The Company is engaged in the operation of retail and wholesale stores and clubs, as well as eCommerce Websites and mobile applications, located throughout the United States (U.S.), Africa, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, India and Mexico. It operates in three reportable segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International and Sam's Club U.S. The Walmart U.S. segment includes the Company's mass merchandising concept in the U.S., as well as eCommerce, which includes omni-channel initiatives and certain other business offerings such as advertising services. The Walmart International segment consists of the Company's operations outside of the U.S. through its subsidiaries, as well as eCommerce and omni-channel initiatives. The Sam's Club U.S. segment includes the warehouse membership clubs in the U.S., as well as samsclub.com and omni-channel initiatives.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Participation Rate Plummets: Research from the Human Rights Campaign reveals a staggering 65% drop in Fortune 500 companies publicly disclosing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, falling from 377 in 2025 to just 131 in 2026, highlighting the pressures and challenges businesses face in the current political climate.
- Widespread Impact: Among the 534 companies that participated, 100 achieved a perfect score, representing nearly 6 million U.S. employees, indicating that despite the overall decline, some firms continue to excel in DEI, reflecting varying market perceptions of social responsibility.
- Political Shift: The rise of the anti-DEI movement, particularly with backing from the White House, has prompted many companies to reassess their DEI policies, with major firms like Walmart and Ford, which previously supported DEI, now withdrawing from related assessments, signaling a significant strategic shift.
- Uncertain Future: As more companies exit the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, the future implementation and evaluation of DEI initiatives face greater uncertainty, potentially impacting corporate social image and employee work environments.
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- Community Investment Commitment: Walmart's new Supercenter in Jacksonville not only showcases its commitment to innovation and community investment but also plans to build or convert over 150 stores in the coming years, driving the modernization of U.S. retail.
- Job Creation: The new Supercenter brings 400 new jobs to the Jacksonville area, offering meaningful opportunities such as tuition-free college from day one, flexible scheduling, and competitive paid time off, further fueling local economic growth.
- Enhanced Shopping Experience: The Jacksonville Supercenter features a modern layout with a broader assortment and convenient shopping options, including delivery in as little as an hour and interactive digital touchpoints, aimed at improving customer convenience and experience.
- Community Celebration: The grand opening attracted community members and Walmart associates, featuring a meet-and-greet with Jacksonville Jaguars legend Fred Taylor and grants to local organizations, highlighting Walmart's support and contributions to the local community.
See More
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- Participation Rate Plummets: Research from the Human Rights Campaign reveals a staggering 65% drop in Fortune 500 companies publicly disclosing their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices, falling from 377 in 2025 to just 131 in 2026, highlighting the pressures and challenges businesses face in the current political climate.
- Widespread Impact: Among the 534 companies that participated, 100 achieved a perfect score, representing nearly 6 million U.S. employees, indicating that despite the overall decline, some firms continue to excel in DEI, reflecting varying market perceptions of social responsibility.
- Political Shift: The rise of the anti-DEI movement, particularly with backing from the White House, has prompted many companies to reassess their DEI policies, with major firms like Walmart and Ford, which previously supported DEI, now withdrawing from related assessments, signaling a significant strategic shift.
- Uncertain Future: As more companies exit the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index, the future implementation and evaluation of DEI initiatives face greater uncertainty, potentially impacting corporate social image and employee work environments.
See More
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- Store Opening: Walmart's Supercenter in Jacksonville officially opened on February 4, marking a significant step in the company's commitment to build or convert over 150 stores in the coming years, reinforcing its long-term strategy for retail modernization and community service.
- Job Creation: The new store brings 400 new jobs to the Jacksonville area, offering benefits such as tuition-free college, flexible scheduling, and competitive paid time off, significantly enhancing local employment opportunities and quality of life for residents.
- Community Support: During the grand opening celebration, Walmart awarded Spark Good local grants to community organizations, reflecting the company's investment in the Jacksonville community and promoting regional economic growth and infrastructure development.
- Omnichannel Shopping Experience: The Jacksonville Supercenter blends the best of online and offline shopping, offering a broader assortment and convenient shopping options, aimed at enhancing customer experience and meeting diverse consumer needs.
See More
Disney Appoints New CEO Amid Market Fluctuations
- Disney CEO Transition: Disney announced that Josh D'Amaro will succeed Bob Iger as CEO on March 18, 2024, after nearly 30 years at the company, with his recent leadership of the experiences division achieving over $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time, highlighting his strategic importance for the company's future.
- Stock Price Impact: Despite D'Amaro's appointment, Disney's stock has fallen over 40% in the past five years, while the S&P 500 has risen more than 80%, reflecting market concerns about Disney's future prospects amid ongoing challenges.
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See More
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- Disney CEO Transition: Disney has announced that Josh D'Amaro will succeed Bob Iger as CEO on March 18, with D'Amaro having nearly three decades of experience at the company, most recently leading a division that achieved $10 billion in quarterly revenue, highlighting his strategic importance.
- Market Volatility: Technology stocks faced significant selling pressure yesterday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling over 1% and the S&P 500 also declining due to weakness in large-cap tech stocks, indicating investor concerns about the tech sector's performance.
- Chipotle Sales Decline: Chipotle reported a fourth consecutive quarter of declining traffic, leading to a more than 5% drop in its stock price, and it anticipates flat same-store sales in 2026, reflecting the challenges the fast-casual chain is currently facing.
- Novo Nordisk Downgrade: Novo Nordisk expects a drop in sales and profit growth this year, with shares plummeting over 14% on Tuesday due to a pricing deal with the Trump administration and loss of exclusivity for key drugs, indicating significant pressure on the company.
See More
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